Filing case



J. BELLIS FILING CASE sept. 10, 1929.

Filed June 14, 1927 ar sw. PAUL, MINN.

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Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

JOSEPH BELLIS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO SHAW-WALKER COMPANY, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION F MICHIGAN.

FILING CASE.

Application filed `Tune 14, 1927. Serial Nb. 198,850.

My present invention relates to improvements and means for expediting the Work in a bank in caring for the cancelled checks of patrons, and for the statement sheets upon which the descriptions of the cancelled checks are entered, and, as a further obJect, the protecting against mistakes and losses thatl exist in connection with the system ordinarily employed in the caring for these cancelled checks. and statement sheets, this application being filed as a continuation 1n part of application Serial Number 53,258,

tiled August 29th, 1925, allowed October 11,

In the ordinary system employed in banks, the paid check goes from the window to the ledger book-keeper who posts it and then to the statement book-keeper who enters it on the (statement sheet, and then to the ille clerk, Where the check is cancelled and tiled, and at the end of the month these cancelled checks are placed in connection with their respective statement sheets ready for delivery to the patron. This system A leaves no proper check-up upon the party tiling and cancelling the checks until the end of the month when they are placed in connection with the statement sheets, and, as

a result, an uncancellcd check that has al- ;Lo ready been paid may be wrongfully re- 'moved` turned back and again cashed, and that frequently happens to the great loss of banks; and checks are apt to become mistiled. In addition thereto Several days time is necessary under the old system to count up the checks, whereas in my system none ot' these mistakes can happen and no daily work is made necessary, as the cancelled checks are at all times alongside the corresponding statement sheets.

In my improved system, the check goes from the Window to the ledger clerk, and from there to the statement clerk, and is cancelled and placed with the statement sheet carrying a description of the cancelled check, in the means I have-provided as a part of my system 'to hold the cancelled checks and statement sheets arranged together, the arrangement being such with my system that there is a daily check of the cancelled checks and statement sheets and no separate tiling ot' the cancelled checks. The opportunity of surrcptitiously removing a paid check and having it again paid before the final checking up at the end of the month is prevented, as Well as other mistakes that are apt to occur in connection with the old systeinVand the Work of caring ,for the cancelled checks is expedited and made more certain. v

In my co-pending application, Ser. No. 657,011, filed August 13, 1923, Patent No. 1,612,562, December 28th, 1926, I have shown one embodiment of my system wherein the statement sheets can be tiled adjacent to the cancelled check containing compartments. The cancelled checks and statement sheets of the different patrons are separated by division cards which carry indicia identifying the accounts shown on thc adjacent statement sheets and cancelled checks.

In the present invention I provide improved means for filing and caring for the statement sheets and cancelled checks, permitting more convenient and casier handling` of the checks and statement sheets and making the usc of my system bet-ter adapted for most etlicient use in the bank.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1, is a view in perspective of a cabinet made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2. is a perspective view in crossI section of the cabinet.

Figure 3, is a View in cross section, showing the cabinet provided with index sheets, and having statement sheets and checks tiled therein.

Figure 4, is an edge view of a support ing plate which is mounted adjustably interiorly of the cabinet.

Figure 5, is a. view in longitudinal section of an end portion ot a cabinet similar-'to that illustrated in Figure l, showing a hingcdly mounted end support plate.

Figure 6, is a View in longitudinal vertical scction of the end support plate removed from the cabinet; and

Figure 7 is a view in longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the cabi net, showing a. group of checks, a statement sheet, and an index card in the posit-ions they would occupy in the cabinet, the checks, statement slreet, and index card being slightly separated to moreclearly illustrate their respect-ive positions in the cabinet.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the cabinet comprises a body portion A, having sides 1 and ends 2, the upper edges 3 of the sides being turned outwardly and downwardly for a distance parallel to the sides of the cabinet, and then turned outwardly at the bottom to form a flange 4 for supporting a cover 5, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Thin sheets of corrugated metal are secured in position over the bottom of the cabinet to permit the lower edges of index cards in the cabinet to rest in the corrugations and prevent their displacement. Secured interiorly of the cabinet adjacent a side thereof, is a raised support 7 which is formed of a piece of sheet metal bent to form a rightangle and secured to the interior of the cabinet as by spotwelding. Secured to the bottom of the cabinet to extend longitudinally thereof are two inverted channel s iaped partitions 8 and 9, spaced equally between the support 7 and the opposite wall of the cabinet. These two longitudinally extending members are each secured to the base of the cabinet on the side outwardly from the center of the cabinet, the loweredge 10 of the side nearest the center of the cabinet being spaced from the bottom of the cabinet a short distance for apurpose to be brought out later.

A support plate l1' is of a width to fit readily intermediate the longitudinal support member 7 and the opposite side of t 1e cabinet, andis provided with notches 12 and 13 in the lower edge`thereof to receive the `longitudinal division members 8 and 9, re-

spectively. A small rod 14 is integrally con- -nected to the lower edge of the central portion of the supprt plate 11 and extends outwardly beneath the lower edges 10 of the division members 8 and 9. VVthen the support plate 11 is positioned to slope angularly rearward, as in Figure 1, the tops of the notches '12 'and 1-3 rest upon the upper surfaces of the members 8 and 9, and the rod 14 is "orced upwardly against the lower edge of the inwardly turned division members. This structure holds the plate from longitudinal displacement and limits the rearward angle at which the plate may be positioned. To the lower partof each sidefedge of the support plate 11 is affixed a triangular positioning member 15, the lower edge thereof being at right angles to the plane of the support plate and the members 15 being of a height not to exceed the height of the longitudinal support member 7 so as to permit the sliding of a statement sheet, which is supported, as willbe brought out later, upon the longitudinal divisons 8 and 9 and the supportmember 7. Pivotally connected to the rear of the plate 11, as by means of a bracket 16, is a rod 17, the lower end thereof being bent as at 18 and having a collar 19 affixed thereto a short distance from the end of the rod to limit its penetration into holes along the bottom of the cabinet. The holes mentioned in the preceding sentence are of a size to permit the entrance of the lower end of rod 17 into said holes, and are spaced approximately one inch apart on a line running longitudinally along the center of the cabinet.

In order to support the checks, statement sheets, and division cards in an inclined position to facilitate the mani ulation of them, I may construct either or oth ends of the cabinet in a hinged manner, now to be described.

An end support plate 20 is connected to the bottom of the cabinet, as by means of a hinge 21, which is secured to the bottom of the cabinet. This plate is of substantially the same size and shape as the slidable support plate 11. The cabinet has a fixed end section 31 extending upwardly from the bottom a distance equal to the height of the longitudinal division members 8 and 9, and the longitudinally extending support member 7. To the upper edge of the end section 31 a movable end member B is connected .as by means of a hinge 22. The movable end member B comprises a flat end portion 23, the upper edge of which is turned outwardly and downwardly ina manner 'to correspond with the upper edges of the sides of the cabinet, and which is rovided with side portions 24 lying at rig it-angles to the plane of the flat ortica-23 of the member B. The upper e ge of the sides ofthe member B, adjacent the flat portion 23,' is curved on an arc having its center in the center of thehinge 22, and for the remainder of its length is cut straight on a tangent with the arc at a point substantially midway of the length of said edge. The side portions 24 of the end B are inserted beneath the outwardly and downwardly turned upper edges 3 of the sides of the cabinet, the curved portion of the upper edges of the side members 24 permit-ting the end B to be moved to a closed position with the flat end portion 23 lying in the same plane as the end member 31 of the cabinet, and permitting the end to also be moved outwardly, pivoting about the hinge 22 to the position shown in Figure l, the straight upper edges of the end member B, by4 contacting with the inside of the flanged upper edge of the cabinet, preventing further outward pivotal movement of the end member B.

In using the device:

A plurality of index cards 25 are provided, of a size and shape to substantially correspond with that of the support plate 11, each of the index cards being prbvided With a tab 26 on the upper edge thereof upon which may be printed the name of the patron whose account it is intended to designate. A statement sheet 27 is positioned adjacent each index card, the name of the patron being Written upon the statement sheet as at 28 and preferably also atthe righthand side thereof, as at 29, as is customary on present statement sheets used by a large number of banks.

The statement sheet is not notched at the bottom as is the index card, but rests upon the longitudinal division members 8 and 9. The longitudinal division members are spaced apart so as to permit the insertion of checks 30 intermediate thereof. The positioning of the longitudinal division members provides three compartments, the one on the left being intended for the reception of checks from the first to the tenth of the month, the central one for checks from the tenth to the twentieth of the month, and the. one on the right for checks from the twentieth to the end of the month. As a check is received it is cancelled in a Wellknown manner and is inserted in its proper compartment, the amount being entered upon the statement sheet.

lVhen in use, the hinged Wall portion of the cabinet may be moved to open position, as illustrated in Figui-e1, and the movable support'plate 1l moved to a position to permit free manipulation of the contents of the cabinet. Where it is desired, as is the case in some banks, rto foot up at predetermined intervals the active account statement sheets with the corresponding ledger sheet items, the active accounts, being the accounts which have been acted upon during the last interval, may be indicated by oiisetting the statement sheets, as shown in Figure. l. (lt course, where, as in other banks, it is the custom at predetermined intervals to toot up all statement sheets, whether active or not. with all the corresponding ledger sheet entries instead of merely the active accounts, this otlsetting is not necessary.

'hen it is desired to close the cabinet, the end may be moved inwardly about the hinges as previously described. and the support plate may be moved slidably along the cabinet to compress the contents of the cabinet and prevent their displacement. The lower end of the rod 1T is then inserted in one ot' the previously mentioned perforations positioned longitudinally ot the center of the bottom ot' the cabinet to lock the plate firmly in position against the contents of the cabinet.

The cover 5, ot a conventional type, is constructed to lit snugly over the cabinet when the hinged end thereof is pivotally moved to a closed position, and may be secured in position thereon b v suitable locking means of a conventional type, not shown.

I claim:

1. A filing cabinet of the character described, having a support member positioned longitudinally thereof adjacent a side ot the cabinet, longitudinal division members intermediate the longitudinal support member and the opposite side of the cabinet, a support plate having notches therein to rgceive the longitudinal division members, and means carried by the support plate to interloekingly engage the longitudinal division members, the notches in the support plate being drawn against the upper surface of the division members to hold the plate in a supportingr position.

2. A tiling cabinet of the character described, having a support member positioned longitudinally thereof adjacent a side of the cabinet, longitudinal division members spaced intermediate the longitudinal support member and the opposite side of the cabinet, each of said longitudinal division members having a portion thereof spaced from the bottom of the cabinet, and a support plate having notches therein to receive the longitudinal division members, portions of said support plate extending under the l longitudinal division members to engage the under side ot said longitudinal division members when said plate is positioned at a predetermined angle With respect to the cabinet. i

3. A filing cabinet of the character described, having a plurality of perfor-ations spaced longitudinally of the bottom thereof, a support member positioned longitudinally adjacent a side of the cabinet, klongitudinal division members intermediate thc longitudinal support member and the opposite side ot the cabinet, a pivotally mount- Ved end porti'on connected to the cabinet to swing angularly outward from the cabinet, a support plate having notches therein to receive the longitudinal division members, and provided with meanst'or interlockingly comm-,ting the support plate to the longitudinal division members, and a rod pivotally connected to the support plate and insertable in the holes spaced longitudinally ot' the cabinet to lock the support plate in ak desired position.

4. A filing cabinet of the character described, having a corrugated bottom and a plurality of pertorations extending longitudinally of said corrugated bottom, a support member positioned longitudinally thereof adjacent a side of the cabinet, longitudinal division members of a height approximately equal to that ot the longitudinal support member positioned longitudinally ot the cabinet and each having a portion thereof in spaced relation from the floor of the cabinet, a support plate having notches therein'to receive the longitudinal division members, means carried by said support Cil plate to extend into the spaces intermediate the longitudinal division members and the bottom of the cabinet, a rod pivotally connected to a face ot the support plate and positioned for; insertion in the holes in the floor of the cabinet to lock the plate in a.l

predetermined position, and an end portion pivotally connected to the cabinet and movable pivotally outward from the end of said cabinet.

5. A tiling cabinet ot the'character described, having longitudinal division members positioned intermediate the sides thereot, and a portion of each of said longitudinal division members being in spaced relation from the fioor of the cabinet, a support plate having notches therein to receive the longitudinal division members, and locking means carried by said support plato and projecting into the spaces intermediate the longitudinal division members and the iioor of the cabinet.

6. A tiling cabinet of the character described, having longitudinal division members intermediate the sides thereof, and a support plate With notches therein to receive said longitudinal division members, said cabinet comprising an end portion pivotally connected to an end of the cabinet and having a side thereof positioned at right-angles with respect to theend portion, the upper edge of said side being curved for a ortion of its length and being straight or the remainder of its length, and means on a side of the cabinet for engagementwith the upper edge of said side portion upon a predetermined outWard movement of said pivotally connected end portion to arrest said outward movement.

7. In a system of the class described, the combination of a box With a partition Wall constituting separate compartments to hold cancelled checks positioned in said compartments, statement sheets describing said checks positioned above said partition Wall adjacent to the described checks, and division sheets adjacent said statementl sheets inscribed with indicia corresponding with indicia upon adjacent statement sheets.

8. In a system of the class described, the combination of a box with a partition wall constituting separate compartments to hold cancelled checks positioned in said compartments, said box being adapted to hold statement sheets supported upon said partition Wall, and division' sheets adjacent said statement sheets, said division sheets notched to j receive said partition Wall.

9. In a filing system of the class described, a box having one or more 10W partitions forming two or more tiling com artments, which said partitions also act as the support for larger papers tiled above.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

JOSEPH BELLIS. 

